Tom Harper’s Netflix actioner Heart of Stone is not a film most viewers would remember for a long time. The film’s much-reported Indian connection is Alia Bhatt, who plays Keya Dhawan, a hacker from Pune. Heart of Stone revolves around the Israeli ‘Wonder Woman’ Gal Gadot, who is introduced to the viewer as MI6’s tech nerd Rachel Stone. It is soon revealed that Stone is a double agent working for a secret multinational peacekeeping agency called The Charter. She must do what she can to ensure that an artificial intelligence program called ‘The Heart’, which guides The Charter’s agents, does not fall into the wrong hands.
Heart of Stone has what it should: some good action sequences, interesting locations (Senegal, Portugal, Iceland, Italy), and great cinematography (George Steel). The screenplay (Greg Rauka and Allison Schroeder), with its predictable twists and cookie-cutter characterisation, is the real culprit that gives rise to a mediocre film. Seen in a role that deserves much more screen time than it gets, Bhatt makes little impact.
Bhatt might have been tempted by Heart of Stone because it promised worldwide viewership. But, the choice of the film was a definite error of judgement. After all, she is, without a shade of doubt, the most successful female star in Bollywood. Her versatility is unquestionable, and so is her rare ability to attract viewers with consistent regularity.
In Karan Johar’s romantic drama Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), a profitable venture that has reportedly grossed Rs 290 crore globally, Bhatt has delivered a solid performance as an educated Bengali girl. She shares excellent chemistry with her co-star Ranveer Singh, who makes an impact effortlessly, although his character of a flamboyant Punjabi guy brings to mind his off-screen persona at times. What Bhatt has in this entertainer is a well-written role, which allows her to perform like she has and can.
Bhatt has appeared in a minor role in SS Rajamouli period epic drama RRR (2022). Her character of a protagonist’s (Ram Charan) partner in a film focusing on two men (NT Rama Rao Jr and Charan) does not offer her much scope. Yet, she became a part of an award-winning blockbuster, which international audiences watched and loved.
Elsewhere, however, Bhatt has got enough opportunities to demonstrate her acting skills. More than ten years after her debut in Karan Johar’s unapologetically escapist teen film Student of the Year (2012), there is enough evidence to prove just how much she has evolved as an actor. In the self-produced Jasmeet K Reen’s black comedy Darlings, a direct-to-digital film on Netflix, she plays the superstitious wife of an abusive husband (Vijay Varma). The film looks at the social reality of domestic abuse, a crime whose victims often suffer in silence. Bhatt is brilliant and, along with Shefali Shah as her supportive mother and Varma, makes the film an eminently watchable experience.
The highlight of Ayan Mukerji’s ambitious big-budget fantasy Brahmastra: Part One Shiva (2022) is Ranbir Kapoor, who plays a DJ blessed with superpowers in what is essentially a superhero film. The emphasis on Kapoor’s character notwithstanding, Bhatt, who plays his love interest, is delightfully natural. Brahmastra, in fact, is a good instance of a male-dominated film in which her character is strong enough to get noticed.
Bhatt’s most acclaimed recent performance was in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grand crime drama Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). She appears in the titular role of a sex worker who resists and conquers social hurdles and becomes a powerful spokesperson for her community. Playing Gangubai would have been a tough challenge for the best, but she put all doubts to rest and made a big impact. The film reveals her unusual wealth of talent, which can be used in equally good or better ways in future.
Bhatt’s recent performances in films like Gangubai Kathiawadi and Darlings is a reason why her role and performance in Heart of Stone disappoints the viewer. Priyanka Chopra, her industry senior, has been amply visible on the international stage in recent years. Chopra’s body of work abroad does not do justice to her talent, as exemplified by a film with a wafer-thin plot like Seth Gordon’s action comedy Baywatch (2017) or the hyped but disappointing Newton Thomas Sigel and Jessica Yu-helmed spy action series Citadel on Amazon Prime.
Nobody is expecting Bhatt to concentrate on international projects in future. That said, she must sign on the dotted line for international projects with caution — as long as she is among the most-watched female stars of Hindi cinema.
The author, a journalist for three decades, writes on literature and pop culture. Among his books are ‘MSD: The Man, The Leader’, the bestselling biography of former Indian captain MS Dhoni, and the ‘Hall of Fame’ series of film star biographies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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